1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to personal information systems, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus of providing a personal biorhythmic cycle indicator.
2. Description of the Related Art
In 1990, the number of females that are of child bearing age exceeded 60 million. For this segment of the population, responsible gynecological monitoring and/or family planning can serve to enhance lifestyles and to facilitate the exercise of informed choice regarding conception and reproduction.
Although contraceptives are widely used, the contraceptive methods and devices currently available vary in ease of use, safety and effectiveness. One contraceptive technique, typically known as the natural family planning method, takes advantage of the fact that a woman is able to become pregnant only when ovulation occurs during the reproductive cycle. If this contraceptive technique is selected, a woman must either practice abstinence during ovulation or use a separate type of contraception during that period. For the rest of the cycle, she is unlikely to conceive. Conversely, for couples planning to start a family, conception will be most likely during the ovulation cycle and least likely during the rest of the cycle.
To implement this method of contraception, a woman must determine the time of ovulation and the pattern of her reproductive cycle. This involves precise monitoring of one's ovulation and menstrual cycles, precise record keeping, charting and numerous computations. Such computations are laborious, may be imprecise and projections are typically difficult to ascertain. Moreover, reference to these records or charts may be inconvenient.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a simple, elegant and cost-effective method and apparatus for providing a personal fertility predictor that is safe, reliable and convenient to use.
In addition to monitoring reproductive patterns, various biorhythmic cycles of a person may also be monitored. However, as in the case of monitoring reproductive patterns, this involves precise monitoring of one's biorhythmic patterns, precise record keeping, charting and numerous computations. Such computations are laborious, may be imprecise and projections are typically difficult to ascertain. Moreover, reference to the records and charts of certain biorhythmic patterns such as menstrual cycles, may be inconvenient. In addition, pubescent teenagers who have just started menstruating typically have "accidents" because they do not know when the onset of the menstrual cycle is.
Accordingly, there is also a need in the art for a simple, elegant and cost-effective method and apparatus for providing a personal biorhythmic cycle indicator, such a menstrual cycle indicator.